I Got 5 On It by Luniz Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Layered Expressions of West Coast Rap
Lyrics
Whoa, see I’m ridin’ high (whoa)
Kinda broke this evening, y’all
So all I got’s five, I got five
Player, give me some brew and I might just chill
But I’m the type that like to light another joint
Like Cypress Hill
I steal doobies, spit loogies when I puff on it
I got some bucks on it, but it ain’t enough on it
Go get the S, the T, I-D-E-S
Nevertheless, I’m hella fresh
Rollin’ joints like a cigarette (yeah)
So pass it ‘cross the table like ping pong
I’m gone, beatin’ my chest like King Kong
It’s on, wrap my lips around a 40
And when it comes to get another stogie
Fools all kick in like Shinobi (you don’t know me)
No, he ain’t my homie to begin with
It’s too many heads to be poppin’ to let my friend get bent
Unless you pull out the fat, crispy
Five dollar bill on the real, before it’s history
‘Cause fools be having them vacuum lungs
And if you let ’em hit it for free you hella dum-da-dum-dumb
I come to school with a Taylor on my earlobe
Avoiding all the thick teasers, skeezers, and weirdos
That be blowing off the land like, “Where the bomb at?”
Give me two bucks, you take a puff and pass my bomb back
Suck up the dank like a Slurpee
The serious bomb will make a niggy go delirious like Eddie Murphy
I got more Growing Pains than Maggie
‘Cause homies nag me to take the dank out of the baggie
I got five on it (got it good)
Grab your 40, let’s get keyed
I got five on it
Messin’ wit that Indo weed
I got five on it (got it good)
It’s got me stuck and I’m tore back
I got five on it
Partna, let’s go half on a sack
I take sacks to the face whenever I can
Don’t need no crutch, I’m so keyed up
‘Til the joint be burnin’ my hand
Next time I roll it in a hampa
To burn slow so the ashes won’t be burnin’ up my hand, bruh
Hoochies can hit but they know they got to pitch in
Then I roll a joint that’s longer than your extension
‘Cause I’ll be damned if you get high off me for free
Hell no, you better bring your own spliff, chief (got it good)
What’s up? Don’t babysit that, better pass the joint
Stop hittin’ ’cause you know ya got asthma
Crack a 40 open, homie, and guzzle it
‘Cause I know the weed in my system is gettin’ lonely
I gotta take a whiz test to my P.O.
I know I failed ’cause I done smoked major weed, bro
And every time we with Chris, that fool rollin’ up a fatty (oowee)
But the Tanqueray straight had me
I got five on it (got it good)
Grab your 40, let’s get keyed
I got five on it
Messin’ wit that Indo weed
I got five on it (got it good)
It’s got me stuck and I’m tore back
I got five on it (got it good)
Partna, let’s go half on a sack
Ayy, make this right, man, stop at the light, man
My yester-night thing got me hung off the night train
You fade, I fade, so let’s head to the East
Hit the stroll to 9-0 so we can roll big hashish
I wish I could fade the eighth, but I’m low budget
Still rolling a two-door Cutlass, same old bucket
Foggy windows, soggy Indo
I’m in the ‘Land getting smoked wit my kinfolk
I been smoked, Yuk’ll spray ya, lay ya down (got it good)
Up in the O-A-K the Town
Homies don’t play around, we down to blaze a pound
Then ease up, speed up through the E-S-O
Drink the V-S-O-P up with a lemon squeeze up
And everybody’s rolled up, I’m the roller
That’s quick to fold a blunt out of a bunch of sticky doja (ooh, wee)
Hold up, suck up my weed is all you do (got it good)
Kick in feed, ’cause where I be’s, we needs half like Umfufu
I got five on it (got it good)
Grab your 40, let’s get keyed
I got five on it
Messin’ wit that Indo weed
I got five on it (got it good)
It’s got me stuck and I’m tore back
I got five on it (got it good)
Partna, let’s go half on a sack
In 1995, the hip-hop duo Luniz released ‘I Got 5 On It,’ a track that, while seemingly simple in its chorus, offers a deep dive into the socio-economic conditions and communal aspects of the urban spaces that they narrate. With a hypnotic sample from Club Nouveau’s ‘Why You Treat Me So Bad,’ this song resonates with the rough textures and the real talk of the Oakland streets.
Venturing beyond the catchy hook, ‘I Got 5 On It’ is both a street-level narrative on recreational marijuana use and a profound commentary on scarcity and sharing in disadvantaged communities. It captures a moment in time and reflects on the complexities of daily life where even a moment of leisure requires strategic social contracts.
The Highs and Lows of Urban Camaraderie
To understand ‘I Got 5 On It,’ one must first recognize its core theme: collaboration born out of necessity. The song lays bare a truth about inner-city life — luxuries are often communal, and leisure is a shared investment. When Yukmouth and Numskull speak of putting five dollars on a packet of marijuana, they’re invoking a code of mutual support and participation that is indispensable in their environment.
The narrative woven throughout the track portrays the lengths to which individuals go to sustain social connection. Even so, there’s an underlying current of self-reliance (‘I steal doobies… I got some bucks on it’). It’s an environment where trust must be earned and contributions are measured.
Smoke Rings and Social Constructs: Analyzing the Hidden Meaning
Delving deeper into the lyrics, the song reflects the financial constraints inherent in certain socioeconomic demographics. ‘Kinda broke this evening, y’all,’ speaks to more than just an empty wallet on a particular night; it’s a mirror to the systemic economic hardships faced by many.
The repeated request for cooperation (‘Partna, let’s go half on a sack’) speaks to the shared reality of struggling communities where collaboration isn’t just a cultural preference but a survival tactic. The notion of ‘having five on it’ goes beyond marijuana — it’s about pooling resources in a world where there is never quite ‘enough on it.’
Higher Learning Through Urban Dictionary
Beyond its cultural reflections, ‘I Got 5 On It’ is also a lexicon of urban slang that educates listeners about the language of the streets. References to ‘taylor,’ ‘stogie,’ and ‘phat’ aren’t just creative wordplay; they’re a dialect that creates a tapestry of inner-city life.
The song acts as an anthropological guide, offering insights into the complexities of language that accompany the rituals and economies of drug use. ‘A Taylor on my earlobe’ isn’t just rap braggadocio; it is an emblematic detail in the social fabric that the Luniz draw upon.
Notable Quotables: The Memorable Lines That Define a Generation
‘I got five on it,’ is not only the most recognizable line of the song but also became a generational call. It’s a statement of intent, unity, and challenge — who is willing to match the investment and join the collective experience?
Similarly, ‘Messin’ wit that Indo weed’ isn’t merely about substance preference but also speaks to the significance of choice and the luxury of preference in a demographic often accustomed to scarcity — it’s a subtle illustration of autonomy amidst limitation.
Stirring the Cultural Pot: ‘I Got 5 On It’ as a Social Elucidator
At its core, Luniz’s ‘I Got 5 On It’ functions as a microcosm of the era it emerged from, a time when the West Coast dominated the rap scene with both style and substance. It’s reflective of the West Coast G-funk sound but also carries the torch for the complexities of living in the hood.
The song’s resonance is such that it even broke into broader consciousness through its use in Jordan Peele’s horror film ‘Us,’ where it assumed an eerie, haunting quality. Similarly, in the cultural lexicon, it transcends being just a smoker’s anthem. It’s an evocative poem that has unrolled a narrative about community, survival, and resilience in the urban tapestry.
